


YEAH!....

by viflow



Series: ARTHUR'S SECRET [7]
Category: Merlin (TV), Merthur - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, M/M, al - freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 00:17:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8599564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viflow/pseuds/viflow
Summary: Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration before he continued. "There is something I want to tell you, but I... I  don't know if I can.’’





	

**Author's Note:**

> Alright. A lot of you asked me here and on other forums for a pleading Arthur. So I made him plead. Hope you are satisfied now and you'll like it.

Once they were inside Merlin’s small but cosy cottage, crossing his arms over his chest, Merlin stood before him. Tilting his head, he was studying Arthur carefully for a moment before his brow furrowed. ‘’What is it you want, Arthur?’’

 ** _You_** , Arthur thought. But obliviously he couldn’t say that, not wanting to scare Merlin off.

But bloody hell, he was nervous. More nervous than he could ever recall being in his life. His throat suddenly felt tight. Actually everything felt too tight. And despite the chill in the room, he could feel that his skin was slick with sweat. He took a deep breath.

‘’Uhhmmmm.’’ Arthur started very firmly and intelligibly.

‘’That’s a good direction Arthur.’’ Merlin's eyes were twinkling now, delighting in Arthur's speechlessness.

‘’I came to tell you that -- ‘’ Arthur started again, feeling awkward, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

‘’Come on Arthur! You can do better than that.’’ Merlin teased. _And why did it sound so suspiciously familiar?_

‘’You won’t make it easy on me, won’t you? ‘’ Arthur asked with an irritated growl.

‘’No-pe.’’

‘’Alright. I think I deserve that.’’ Arthur nodded, scrubbing a hand over his face before he turned his gaze to the ground again. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, then lifted his chin stubbornly and locked his eyes on Merlin’s face.

The world had shrunk down to just him and Merlin, and all his love for the man before him bloomed in his chest, and he felt like he couldn’t do anything to stop it from pouring out of him in every word, and every look.

‘’I came to tell you that I am sorry for the way I treated you, Merlin. You were right to leave me. I took you for granted, and I’m sorry for that too. I’m sorry if I’ve caused you to think that you didn’t matter to me. You did... You do… matter to me, Merlin …’’ Arthur swallowed hard, ’’a lot.’’

His eyes were insistent on Merlin's face, looking at him like Merlin might disappear into thin air.

Merlin gasped and he was contemplating Arthur with wide, wondering eyes. His face was all intense and serious and tender, and it made Arthur's heart beat wildly. His stomach swooped and flipped dangerously. 

Then an odd expression crossed Merlin's face, there and gone, before Arthur could decipher it.

Suddenly all the tenderness disappeared from Merlin's eyes and Arthur could actually observe as his face shut down.

Arthur blinked, absolutely taken aback and his heart sunk into his boots. For the first time since he has known him, Merlin was staring at him with a blank look in his eyes and with cold indifference on his face...and It chilled every bone in Arthur's body. He didn't really understand the sudden change on Merlin's face, his sudden... well, whatever… But it made him realise that maybe Merlin wasn't going to be as ready to forgive him as he'd thought.

Arthur's chest tightened painfully. 

Merlin always looked at him as he was some kind of hero, like he could hang the moon. He always had faith in him and his look was always overflowing with inexplicable devotion. But the clear blue eyes were watching him now with not a hint of starriness in them. Merlin stared at him without feelings and seemingly uninterested.

Arthur's heart sped to a frantic race. It couldn't be possible. It was Merlin-- his Merlin--he couldn't be too late.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration before continued. "There is something I want to tell you, but I...I don't know if I can.’’ Arthur knew he was rambling in a way that was completely unlike himself because that was what Merlin did to him. It was his bloody fault. He turned him into this stuttering mess. ‘’I know….I know I failed you…our friendship...Everything… I got it all wrong…I took you and your friendship for granted, thinking it would always be there. Only when you left and I realised that it wouldn’t, had I seen the truth that how much it means to me… how important you are to me.''

He had never felt so out of his depth. He was adept with problems which could be solved with a sword or with reason. If necessary, he could negotiate and charm and bargain, but emotions… He felt small and raw and exposed and shaken and vulnerable and frustrated, all of the things that he hated feeling. He was miserable and he just wanted Merlin. He desperately needed Merlin to make him feel safe and whole again.

His next words were spilling out of him in a shuddering gasp with all the sincerity in his heart.

''I need you, Merlin. I never realised how much before… But I need you… I can’t go on without you by my side."

Merlin’s eyes widened but there was no other reaction, nothing... just silence.

Seconds or minutes later-- Arthur wasn't sure, but sure like Hell, for him it felt like eons-- Merlin's face transformed into something soft and wonderful. His expression was still wary and slightly tinged with confusion, but his eyes were shining with fondness and unguarded affection as he kept them assessing on Arthur's face. 

Arthur took heart from that, his resolve strengthened. He sagged, closed his eyes as all breath seemed to leave him. He swallowed nervously, cleared his throat and whispered brokenly.

"Please Merlin!'’ 

The quiet urgency and the soft plea of his tone surprised even himself. _He was pleading with Merlin, which was ridiculous, he never pleads!_ But after the grief of losing Merlin, he could no longer hide his feelings, could no longer continue to deny what Merlin meant to him. If pleading is what it takes to get Merlin back to him.... he would plead. 

He had spent his entire life doing his duty to Camelot, never truly following his heart. From childhood Arthur had been trained to be stoic, impersonal, to be self-denying for the good of Camelot. Kings never show their true feelings, it's a sign of weakness. Kings don't get emotionally attached. Kings rule alone. - and it had cost him to loose Merlin.

But he could achieve greatness and raise his Kingdom to dizzying heights... he knows now... that none of it would mean a damn thing to him without Merlin by his side.

His nerves were jumping, and he had to clasp his hands together behind his back to hide their trembling.

‘’Please Merlin. Come back with me to Camelot.’’


End file.
